This project was compiled in association with www.breaktothebeat.com for the purpose of documenting Hip Hop culture that evolved in and around Milton Keynes, England, during the 1990s.

"Straight from the sector" was originally released in July 1996 independently by Kraze One on his own label One On One Productions as a cassette tape ep that contained four recordings (Positive vibezin, Straight from the sector remix, Positive freestylin’, Straight from the sector). The version of the “Straight from the sector” project that has been made available to play and download from band camp contains several of the original recordings from the release plus some enhanced versions that have been edited by Kraze One using new technology. The band camp release also contains several unfinished demo recordings that were under construction during the time that the project was active. Shortly before the cassette tape was released in 1996 Kraze One lost access to the studio he was using to construct the project which is why only four of the recordings were ever circulated.

Kraze One became a participant in Hip Hop culture in 1991 forming UCP (UnderCover Prophecy) with DJs Trail One & Delta. By 1993 Kraze One was actively seeking opportunities to record music and in 1994 formed a second crew Justice Element with Killa Joul & DJ Crime Plate. Thanks to DJ Halo, Justice Element got the opportunity to develop some demo recordings originally made with turntables in to studio demos. Kraze One had become familiar with the process of selecting samples to construct backing tracks and had already attempted several low fi recordings while working with UCP and DJ Delta.

Although Justice Element disbanded shortly after the first demos were created Kraze One continued to actively pursue music undertaking a sound recording course at Audio Lab studio in September 1994. It was while studying at Audio Lab that Kraze One's first semi professional recording opportunities and releases developed. Both recordings (Straight from the sector and "Positive freestylin') are included in this compilation.

The original recording of "Straight from the sector" marks Kraze One's earliest contribution to this project. The lyrics were written in 1993 and recorded with Justice Element during 1994. At this stage Kraze One was selecting records and working with studio engineers to construct and arrange backing tracks to rap over. The instrumental was mastered to DAT and in 1995 the vocals were re-recorded and the track was released as part of a compilation cassette by DJ Halo entitled "Widow Maker". By this point Justice Element had disbanded and Kraze One was recording as solo artist. The second recording that also debuted on the same release was a group project that evolved under the collective name of Phaze 4.

Phaze 4 consisted of four participants (Mr Lusta, Kraze One, Lady Of Funk, Mr Delta) in local Hip Hop culture during the early 1990s. Sound recording courses that were running at Audio Lab Studio during 1994/5 brought the four members together and provided the opportunity to create a demo. After interest from DJ Halo the team developed the demo recording further and in 1995 it was also released independently as part of the "Widow Maker" compilation. Kraze One and the other members of Phaze 4 were able to operate the studio equipment which they had been learning to use and constructed and arranged the track with studio engineer and mentor Nigel Neil.

By late 1995 Kraze One became a studio engineer working mostly under DJ Halo in Audio Lab's second studio known as the midi suite. Kraze One was able to utilise the studio to work on personal projects when it was not booked for recording. It was during this short period from around September 1995 - May 1996 that the majority of the remaining music included in this release was created. Kraze One was 19 years old at the time and his ambition was to create a Hip Hop project that reflected the environment he had grown up in and the small scene of local participants he was connected to. The studio's sudden closure in 1996 meant that the majority of the project remained unfinished.

This compilation contains the small number of recordings that were completed during the mid 1990s along with a selection of work in progress demos that were recorded to cassette tape during the studio sessions. The rough concept of "Straight from the sector" was Hip Hop culture in Buckingham town. The title track was one of the few to be completed and mastered and was reworked in 1995/6 by Kraze One as a follow up to the debut "Widow Maker" compilation version. By the time the remix was recorded Kraze One was producing beats himself and able to articulate his thoughts clearer as he advanced as a lyricist.

"Positive vibezin'" was also completed before the studio closure and features scratches by DJ Danny Cooley. These two tracks along with the previous two releases from the "Widow Maker" compilation were salvaged and released as a cassette EP in July 1996. The EP followed the same concept and with the inclusion of "positive freestylin' by Phaze 4 still managed to provide a window in to what was happening locally with regards to Hip Hop culture.

The final three recordings included in this project were only ever saved as progress sessions on cassette tapes. "Detonate the funk" features rap vocals by Killa Joul and was intended to be included on the original Straight from the sector project. "Just mellow" evolved from experimenting with samples and sounds and was inspired by the UK Trip Hop scene that was happening in the mid 1990s when the recordings were made, as was "Classic breaks".

The arrangement to "Just mellow" had been completed but the track was never mixed properly and was taken from a cassette recording of the studio session. "Classic breaks" was just a work in progress arrangement that was yet to be completed. "Just mellow" and "Classic breaks" were not originally planned to be part of the Straight from the sector project but they do represent Kraze One's introduction to early production techniques which is what provided an opportunity for him to progress from the local music scene and work with several established record labels.